Desperado
by WithWings67
Summary: After years of silence, Red-X is back. And no matter how hard he tries, Nightwing can't seem to capture him, or figure out who the man is behind the mask. Raven decides to take it upon herself to figure out the mystery of Red-X, and why he's so bent on going after Nightwing. But Raven soon realizes she's in over her head, and some secrets might be better off staying buried.
1. Chapter 1

Hello!

This story has been brewing in my head for awhile, so I decided to finally post it!

Enjoy!

Character Ages: BB: 19, Nightwing 21, Raven 21, Star: 22, Cyborg: 25

Chapter 1:

Titan Tower, 00:35

Nightwing diligently sat at the computer screen, multiple monitors switched to surveillance mode. Stubbornly, he was sitting in an uncomfortable position to keep himself awake. He ran a hand through his shaggy black hair, now shoulder length and no longer smothered in hair gel, letting out a sigh. Nightwing had grown a few inches from his Robin days, filling out his now all black Kevlar uniform with a blue bird in the center of it nicely. All the titans had grown, even Beast Boy, who now insisted he go by Changeling. They could barely call themselves "teen" anymore, with Changeling being the youngest at 19, and being 5' 11. Nightwing was holding his favorite mug (which happened to be a red 16 ounce with a yellow and black R logo in the center) Raven had gotten it for him forever ago, back when he was still Robin of course, as a Christmas gift stating that she made a big deal at the mall by complaining to anyone who would listen that there wasn't nearly as much Robin memorabilia being sold compared to the infamous Batman, and Robin lived in their own city. Thinking back to that morning and smiling, Nightwing took a sip of his 4th cup of coffee that evening, trying to fight the drowsy feeling washing over him. Red-X had been increasingly active, with 3 break-ins that month after years of silence from him. He was hoping to get ahead of him, but so far had had no luck.

Readjusting his position for the umpteenth time, he opened the filing cabinet, and grabbed the file they had made on Red-X, and leafed through until he found where his past heists were listed, and what was stolen. He began re-reading it, hoping to gain some insight, or discover some detail that he had previously missed to clue him into how they were related, and where he might strike next.

"Re-reading that isn't going to get you anywhere, and neither is staying up all night again, trying to see something that isn't there" said a quiet voice from the kitchen.

"Raven?" Nightwing had started slightly at her voice, not expecting anyone else to be up. He was also startled that she practically read his mind. "What are you still doing up?"

Raven had grown as well, although she was still the shortest member of the titans at 5'3. She had also changed her uniform, from a leotard to an all black Kevlar bodysuit, and mid-calf black combat boots. Her custom blue cloak remained, as well as her belt. Mid-length black hair, with a hint of violet framed her face and was currently pulled back into a French braid.

"Well your insomnia has seemingly chosen to also keep me up, so I'm making herbal tea. How about you pour that cup of liquid battery acid down the drain, and I make you a cup as well?"

Nightwing scoffed, looked back at the monitors, and then down to the cup of black coffee in his hand. Knowing there would be no arguing with her, and also too tired to engage in a battle of words with Raven at this hour, he got out of his chair, and made his way across the living room into the kitchen. He handed his mug to her and leaned heavily on the counter, his biceps and forearms taking his weight.

"Sorry Rae. I was just finishing up something and then heading to bed myself, no worries" He said, staring down at the edge of the white tiled counter he was leaning on, not looking at Raven directly. He took off his mask and set it on the counter, his striking ocean blue eyes narrowed.

Nightwing had insisted on doing things differently than his mentor had with his team. Being open and honest about who he was by sharing his identity and his past willingly with his teammates, as well as suggesting they so the same with each other. Most of the members on their team had little to no family left, the Titans were a family some of them had never known, or could have even dreamed of having. Everyone on the team had been willing share, even Raven, who had learned the hard way after the incident with her father, that keeping secrets about your past will eventually catch up to you.

"Red-X has been increasingly active, and getting bolder. I'm just trying to find a pattern in his break-ins" Nightwing continued "and get ahead of him so we can put a stop to him for good."

Raven took his mug, and inspected it "I think it might be time to update your mug" She said, seemingly ignoring his comment. "You haven't been Robin in years, there's been two of you since then" She brought it up to her nose and sniffed. "Ugh, How do you still have teeth drinking this stuff, Grayson?" Raven grimaced, pouring its contents down the drain. "Who taught you how to make coffee? You don't use the whole bag with each pot, you know."

Nightwing rolled his eyes, looking at her and snapping out of his unfocused gaze. "You don't even drink coffee, it's supposed to be strong, that's how it keeps you awake"

"Well, you're lucky to still have a stomach lining." She said flatly, as she rinsed out his mug and filled it with steaming hot water and sugar "Here, drink" she commanded, as she dropped a silky bag with tea leaves in it, placing it on the counter in front of him.

The aroma of lavender, mint and vanilla wafted up to him gently, he had to admit it smelled much better than his previous cup of "battery acid." He gingerly took a sip

"Holy shit, that is delicious."

Raven smirked "I mix it myself. I get the leaves from a tea shop downtown. Which I think might also be a possible front for illegal activity. Whatever they're doing, their tea makes up for it. It's the only thing that calms me and tastes decent. Especially when certain people insist on keeping me awake with their restless thoughts and overpowering emotions at this hour" She said monotonously, raising her own mug to her lips, with an added glare in his direction.

Nightwing sighed, walking over to the kitchen table and sitting with his back towards his unorganized mess of files and piles of paperwork. He looked down at the table "I gotta figure this out Rae, it's my fault he's even out there. It's like he's always one step ahead of me."

"Someone sounds like they're getting a bit obsessed" Raven eyed him cautiously, walking into the living room to rearrange the unorganized couch cushions, and to throw away the many food wrappers left on the coffee table. "This is starting to sound like Slade: The Sequel"

"I'm not going down that road again, I promise. I learned my lesson. Take breaks, meditate, I can't save the world. I do listen to you" He said, raising his mug above his head without turning around to look at her in a mock-toast

Raven rolled her eyes and walked back into the kitchen, grabbing her mug "Yet here I find you, in the middle of the night, obsessing. Go to sleep. Goodnight, boy wonder" Raven's cloak swished as she turned away from him and left the common room.

"Night, Rae" Still sitting at the table, he was finding it hard to keep his eyes open.

"Damn, this tea is good" Draining the cup, he deposited the empty mug in the sink, intent on going to his room and falling into bed. He turned back to the monitors and open files on his desk.

Well….maybe one more flip through X's file before he headed to his room.

Nightwing walked back over to the pile of files from open cases and criminals they were currently tracking. However, the one he was currently looking for seemed to be missing.

"Damnit Rae!" Nightwing rolled his eyes. Raven knew him too well. Turning back to the door, Nightwing ran his hand through his hair, sighed, and headed towards his room, where he ended up sleeping the most soundly he had in days.

Reaching her room, Raven set her mug down on her nightstand, pulling out the file on Red-X she had levitated under her cloak. She smirked. Nightwing was going to be pissed. She had watched him pour over the case file incessantly over the last week, barely sleeping or eating. She had felt Starfire's worry and Cyborg's concern radiating off of them in waves. Changling had been decidedly indifferent, although he would make comments such as "Here we go again" and "Nightwing's most wanted!" whenever the subject of Red-X was mentioned. Raven decided it was time for her to intervene.

Raven sat the case file on her bed, and walked over to her closet to change out of her uniform. I really need to let Starfire drag me to the mall one of these days Raven thought to herself as she looked into her bleak closet. Ten pairs of uniforms, including a winter ensemble, 2 pairs of jeans, 2 jackets, sweatpants, one dress, and a handful of t-shirts consisted of all the clothing she owned on this earthly plane. She quickly changed into a hoodie and sweat-pants, and threw her uniform in the laundry basket.

Sitting on her bed, she grabbed her laptop from the nightstand, and opened the case file on her bed. It was time to give Nightwing a break, and see what she could find on Red-X. Syncing her computer up to the monitors in the main-frame (she was the best with computers in the tower next to Nightwing and Cyborg) she started going over video footage of the attacks in slow motion, re-living the break-ins and heists over again. Stifling a yawn, Raven took a sip of her tea, and prepared to be in for a long night.

Hope You Enjoyed Chapter 1!

Let me know what you think by reviewing!

-Wings


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 for your viewing pleasure!...Reviews Please!

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The next morning, Nightwing was the first one up, feeling the most rested he had in weeks. _I should go to bed at a decent hour every night_ he thought to himself. Making his way to the common room, he walked to the kitchen and checked the time "07:15, wow I slept in" he said

"Slept in? Man, what time do you get up? It's Saturday, this is early!" Said Cyborg, walking in, yawning. "I wanted to update the system before everyone gets up, I was gonna make breakfast before I started, want sumthin'?

"Sure man, whatever you're makin' sounds good" Nightwing said, starting to make coffee.

"Waffles, Bacon and Eggs it is then!" Said Cyborg "Better hurry before BB gets up and makes me cook tofu bacon"

Nightwing rolled his eyes and hit the start button on the coffee maker. Some things never changed, no matter how old they got.

"Good Morning!" Starfire chirped, coming into the common room, smiling widely. "I hope everyone had a good rest"

"Ugh, Kory, it is too early to be this cheerful. Or look so great" Cyborg said grumpily, "I bet you wake up earlier than bird-boy here to make that face up"

Starfire kept walking to the counter, and rolled her eyes "I don't know what you're talking about Cyborg, I woke up like this" She smiled and looked at Nightwing

"You do look great Star, not that you don't always" Nightwing smiled at her.

"Good morning, Richard, did you sleep well?" Starfire said, ignoring the comment, but blushing slightly, and turned her full attention to Nightwing.

"I actually slept great thanks to Raven" Nightwing said, moving to grab the package of bacon from Cyborg to help him cook breakfast.

Cyborg who was taking a sip of coffee, choked "-What?! Exactly how did Raven help you sleep!?" He sputtered. Turning around, he glared at him "I would choose your words carefully, bird-boy"

"Jesus! She made me tea, relax." Nightwing said looking up at him. "Raven would never do anything other than make me tea"

"But you would not mind if she did?" Starfire said innocently, not looking at him directly, collecting ingredients to make herself a smoothie on the counter.

"I- no!" Nightwing detested adamantly, blushing "I will never look at Raven as anything other than a friend, that has not changed since we were sixteen" Nightwing said, taking bacon out of the frying pan and placing it on a plate on the counter, not looking at either one of them directly.

He and Starfire had been together for two solid years before mutually ending their relationship. It had started with her going back to Tameran to help run damage control after there was an attack from a neighboring planet. Starfire, being part of the royal family of Tameran, felt obligated to help restore her people's livelihoods. While Starfire had already experienced a difficult childhood, she unfortunately had to witness many difficult things in helping with the restoration of her former home. Death, destruction and violence had left her planet in ruin, it's people in despair. There was also the matter of what to do with the remaining prisoners captured from the war. It had been quite a shock for her to deal with, and she struggled for a while after coming back to earth, often experiencing night terrors and bouts of sleeplessness. Raven often helped her calm down after these nightmares, and encouraged her to share with the rest of them what she experienced.

After the first 4 months of being separated, Starfire and Nightwing had discussed, with both of them so busy attending to other matters, it was best to put their relationship on hold. They agreed to re-visit the idea of them getting back together when she came back to earth. Since Starfire's return 8 months ago however, neither of them had really spoken to each other on the subject, however the flirting and sexual tension between the two was often felt among everyone on the team.

To their utter delight.

"You'd better not man, Raven's way too good for your crazy-" Cyborg then mumbled something incoherent, that did not sound like a compliment to Nightwing. He roughly put waffles and eggs on the counter, and helped himself to a generous portion. He moved to sit down in the common room, grumbling still as he went.

Starfire, pouring her smoothie in a cup, walked to join Cyborg, but not before turning and looking at Richard, smiling "I certainly would not mind if you helped me get to sleep some nights, Nightwing" she said, blushing she moved to sit down at the table with Cyborg.

Richard laughed, and blushed "Uh, we'll have to see about that, Star"

* * *

_5 hours later, Common Room, 12:15_

Nightwing looked up from his remaining case files in the common room (even though an important one was still conveniently missing) compiling background profiles and research on other villains. His stomach growled loudly as he looked around the common room. Changeling was grazing on the couch, watching TV and munching on chips. Cyborg was running diagnostics on the computer updates, Starfire had left to go in town somewhere, but one titan had not been seen all morning

"Has anyone seen Raven today?" Robin said

Changeling gave a shrug "Maybe she's meditating. Did you check the roof? Or maybe you disgusted her with all your bacon and eggs this morning"

"BB everyone likes bacon and eggs in this place other than you!" Cyborg grumbled from the corner, not taking his eyes off the computer screen

"Dude, it's Changling now! I changed it on my last birthday now that I'm 18." Changling yelled at him across the room, taking his feet off the coffee table.

"BB, you will always be BB to me, just as NW over here will always be boy wonder and bird-boy, so shush"

"Whatever tin man, you-" Changling was cut off by the sound of the common doors swooshing open.

Raven entered, her black-violet hair was uncharacteristically swept up in a messy bun. She also appeared to be wearing a hoodie over her uniform instead of her normal blue cloak. This strange appearance had the three boys doing double takes. Raven didn't say a word to the male titans as she bee-lined straight to the coffee maker and opened the cabinet to grab a mug.

Nightwing sat there, staring at her for a few minutes, watching her brew coffee. He shook his head briefly, as if to clear the apparent hallucination before his eyes.

"Hey Raven, uh…. are you sick? I didn't think you drank coffee." Nightwing said as he slowly made his way over to Raven. "Good morning? Are you just getting up? You're usually one of the first ones up."

Raven closed her eyes and held the steaming navy blue mug up to her nose and inhaled the rich scent of the dark roast. She took a large gulp before she opened her eyes and stared blankly at Nightwing.

" No. Yes I do like coffee…good afternoon you mean and yes, I know. It's been a long night. I was channeling my inner boy blunder and stayed up half the night researching a lead. Well an idea for a lead. And I like coffee, when it's made right of course. Not the swill you were drinking last night that could melt plastic. This brand is pretty good. Is it the fair trade organic stuff BB bought downtown?

"Come on Rae, it's Changeling" a muffled protest was called from the couch. "And yes, it's from a fair-trade organization based in the Congo. It's awesome"

Nightwing blinked twice "A lead? What are you talking about? I've been compiling cases all morning…you mean X?" Nightwing exclaimed, ignoring her question "I've been on him all week and found nothing!

"I'll fill you in once I drink my coffee" Raven replied monotonously, walking over to the kitchen table.

"Nice by the way, taking the file from me last night" Nightwing said raising his eyebrows at her.

"If I wouldn't have taken it, you wouldn't have gone to sleep"

"You took it and stayed up all night researching leads, so that's a bit hypocritical, Raven"

Raven shrugged and went back to drinking her coffee. "You needed a break, so I took over, it's why I'm second in command" She retorted

Nightwing huffed but said nothing else. He sat down next to her at the kitchen table, crossing his arms and waiting until she finished her coffee.

She continued to drink without look at him, then slowly drained the last of the mug. She set the mug down and sighed "You know what would be great with this coffee? Waffles." She said, starting to get up and walk to the kitchen.

"Raven! Seriously!" exclaimed Nightwing, throwing his hands up in the air and grabbing her arm

"Ok, OK!" Raven said laughing sitting back down. She held out her hand, palm up and black magic appeared to cover it. Before long, a file also covered in black magic materialized and floated down to her hand. She took the file and walked over to a mainframe computer, typing furiously.

"So this is what we know so far-" Raven explained, quickly opening up a document that contained a flow chart "X has been targeting mostly corporate businesses, that seem to be interested in multifaceted projects- from construction to pharmaceuticals. All the companies also seem to have a tie with either the JLA, Wayne Enterprises, or the Titans. The things that have been stolen aren't high profile items, while they are expensive-they could have been stolen from anywhere, but he targeted these companies in particular, as if it's a personal vendetta."

Raven stopped and turned to face the ex-boy wonder. "I realize you have discovered most of this previously" She stated plainly.

He sighed "Yes. I also found that so far it's been companies that are either based here in Jump, or in Gotham"

"So after coming to that conclusion last night, I started exploring a different option, one you're not going to like at all. So sit" She commanded, turning towards him.

Nightwing looked at her and raised his eyebrows, but slowly walked over to the table and sat down. "and what option is that?"

Raven sat down across from him and smirked "A covert op. It's the only way to find out what his next target is, and what he's actually after. His heists are so sporadic and there's no other patterns to them, I think that's the only way to get more info"

"And who do you suggest goes on this undercover mission? Do you remember the last one? Beast Boy almost got shipped to China! As a dog! We had to pick him up in Mumbai!"

"Well I wasn't going to suggest _Changeling_-" Raven corrected smoothly

"Then Kori? Because she always gets lost on missions, and she never blends in well and we never get anywhere-plus Red X is dangerous she could get hurt-

Raven rolled her eyes "No, Starfire-

"Cyborg's last mission was that one in the HIVE, and he literally got hacked- Red X seemed like he would easily be able to hack into him, also-

"DICK SHUT UP FOR TWO SECONDS!" Raven shouted, standing up to move in front of him. A deafening silence fell on the living room.

Changling and Cyborg, who were both on the couch watching the conversation with amused looks on their faces, quickly made themselves look busy. Both Raven and Nightwing were oblivious to their actions, however.

"I was suggesting I go!"

"What? Raven, X is dangerous and clearly- "

"And clearly I can handle myself! Also there is not another member who knows this case better than I do" Raven insisted, walking back over to the monitors

"Excuse me?" Nightwing interjected

"You can't- you're too personally involved- he stole something you created it's going to be like Slade all over again-"

"Can we please stop bringing him up? This is a completely different case Slade has nothing to do with this- That was years ago I learned from it and I will never get that bad again. Red-X is dangerous, Raven- we don't know who he is or what he's been up to for the last couple years. There's obviously a reason he's back now-"

"Which is why someone has to get a step ahead of him, and who better to then me?"

"You could get hurt" Nightwing stood up and walked over to where she was standing by the computer monitor, grabbing her hand "Raven if you got hurt because of him, and it's my fault he's out there- I couldn't live with myself"

"Shit" Changeling whispered to Cyborg, who he was standing next to "This is better than TV. I love their fights" He popped another chip in his mouth "Can you say "love triangle?" Now we just need Kori to come in"

"No kidding!' Cyborg whispered back, grabbing some chips from Changling as well "She called him Dick and he didn't even call her on it! The girl has herself wrapped around his finger!"

"Richard-" Raven sighed exasperatedly, oblivious to the conversation going on in the living room "I'm the safest choice, I can manipulate his emotions so that he never feels threatened against me once I'm in close range- I can heal myself- we've been put in worse situations than him- I went to Hell!

"So did I!"

"To help me, which I appreciate, but now let me help you"

Richard looked at her with sincerity, and sighed

"Raven I-"

Nightwing was cut short by a flashing red light throughout the tower, with the alarm sounding. Saved by the bell. Raven rolled her eyes, annoyed

"This isn't over! We'll discuss it more when we come back!" Raven closed the program on the computer and materialized herself and the folder into thin air- if Nightwing had to guess back to her room to change.

Changling and Cyborg were at the computer, looking up what the threat was

"Your not going to like this 'Wing" Cyborg stated glumly "Report says its X"

Nightwing glared at the screen.


End file.
